The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-12-24

ucIlIyl because SIN Is against an In
finite Being, does it therefore merit an
infinite punishment, and therefore is
the whole race under the sentence of
an endless penalty? Or is it reason.
able theology which teaches that God
refused to remove this penalty unless a
certain satisfaction was made to his
justice? Does experience teach us that
the consequences of our sin can be cast
upon Jesus or any one else? These
questions are not difficult to answer.
The reasonable person must say that
certainly we have nobody's sins to an
swer for but our own; that the penalty
of sin is not measured by the greatness
of the person sinned against, but by the
sin in itself. Experience teaches that in
the divine government the penalty is
inseparable from the broken law. If
we sin we must suffer and we ought to.
This is most emphatically the New
Testament doctrine. Whatsoever a
man soweth that shall he also reap.n
''He shall reward every man according
to his works. We do not need Jesus
then to appease infinite anger, for God
was never thus angry with us. We
do not need him to lift from us an
infinite penalty, for no such penalty
rests upon US. Were it possible, it
would not be best that he should shield
from the just deserts of our sins.
"What SHALL we do then with Jesus
which is called Christ?n
This brings me to the answer which
Liberal Christianity makes to this
question. A casual survey of the his
tory of progress shows that in all its
departments the world has ever had
great teachers, men who have inspired
and led on their fellows to something
better in mechanics, in science, litera-
ture and art. No one of these teach
ers, however, has ever displaced the
ignorance of any person with wisdom
without that PERSONS help. Now Jesus
is our spiritual teacher. And it is just
as reasonable to think that person by
believing in Bacon, Newton or Darwin
would thereby becomes great scientist,
or by putting trust in Addison, De
Quincy and Irving, would thereby be-
come great writer; or by having faith
in Michael Angelo would thereby be-
come great artist, as that simply by
believing in Jesus he would become
great morally. But nevertheless the
world, in all its departments, in me-
chanics, in science, in literature and
art has profited greatly by its teach
ers. 1t is vastly wiser in science be-
cause of Bacon, Newton and Darwin.
Addison, De Quincy and Irving, En-
erson, Longfellow and Bryant have
done much in creating men of letters;
not, however, by literally bearing
away their ignorance and leaving wis
dom in its place, but by precept and
example, helping to develop what was
in them. So there is help in Jesus as
1.-THE way, the truth and the life."
know there is quite prevalent opin-
ion that if Jesus is not what the old
theology made him, if he does not
lift from us some pending calamity
without much exaction from human
agency; if we cannot convert him into
shield to hold between us and the ar
rows of Gods anger; if we cannot use
him as a vehicle wherein we can ride to
heaven by very short and easy way,
there was no need of his coming into
the world. If Jesus stands before
US merely as a representative of the
ideal race, the perfect head up into
which we are to grow, we have no
great need of him or use for him. The
world can get on without him just as
we'll as with him. The question is
sometimes asked: "Why do you Uni
versalists talk so much about Christ?
What is Christmas day to you? Ac-
cording to your idea of his mission,
what is Jesus to your"
My friends, let US see whether we
have any reason for celebrating jesus
birthday, and whether there is any help
for us in Jesus as 1.-THE way, the truth
and the life." 1t is quite generally
conceded that the world has profited
greatly through Christianity, morally.
That the most advanced civilizations of
the world are Christian, has been re-
garded as significant of something in
Christ that makes the world better.
Doubtless many other influences, be-
sides Christianity, have combined to
make the world better. Man is natur-
ally progressive in all departments of
his life. Human experience is ever
teaching US to do better. Science, liter
allure and art are kinds of gospels, exer-
cising a saving influence upon men.
But moral historians are quite sure that
the growing spirit of brotherhood, SYM
pathy aud charity, has emanated in no
small measure from Jesus. Now how
has the world been made better through
Jesus ? Has it been merely through
the Interpretation that makes him a
shield between it and Gods anger? l
do not say that this doctrine of jesus
mission has not made men any better.